South Sudan president says aides behind money stealing “spoiled” his name
February 26, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, said he has approved the trial of the former chief administrator and executive director in his office because they have brought him “shame” and “unnecessary insults” from the citizens and his political opponents to undermine his political standing in the country and in the world.
Others include controller of accounts in the Office of the President, Anne Christos Ladu, accountant at the Office of the President, executive director at the office of the secretary general for decentralization, Chaat Paul, director of communication at general administration office, Francis Justin, employee of ministry of finance and Anyang Mijok, cashier of the central bank.
“You know in our culture if a child makes a mistake and accepts and apologizes for the wrong doing, the parent takes a decision, usually such a child is forgiven and warned never to repeat it. But if the same child does the same thing again, that child is beaten not just for punishment but discipline and correction,” said President Kiir when approached by relatives of the accused to forgive them for stealing the total of more than 22 million US dollars.
“People have been coming to me say[ing] the people who forged documents in my name to take money from the central bank without me being put into picture should be forgiven. Do you see the logic here? You do something in the name of someone and refused to accept your mistake,” he said, without explaining whether he could forgive them if they accepted their “mistake.”
President Kiir, who held private talks at his residence last Saturday with elders about the issue, said his name is “being spoiled and insulted by the people who are not supposed to insult him.”
The president made the comments after the high court on Tuesday listened to charges from the chief investigator, Major General Basilio Thomas Wani against persons accused on allegations of forgery, transfers of money and use of headed paper from the Office of the President.
General Wani said the case was initially brought against 25 suspects but charges against nine were insufficient to include in the trial because there were no empirical evidences to prove their involvement.
John Agou, a security officer attached to the Office of the President, according to the investigator, was the first suspect to be arrested on 25 May 2015 before seven other colleagues in scandal, including Kenyans and one Lebanese citizen, were picked up for interrogation over their involvement.
Agou, according to the investigator, used his position at the Office of the President and his Click Company to receive 14 million US dollars and 30,994,832 SSP to Kenyan account operated by his wife.
On 13 June 2015, the investigation committee started checking the forged documents, which were brought from Click Company, Office of the President and Ministry of Finance for auditors to classify in an experts’ report and found that Agou was executing the project on behalf of the powerful network.
Agou has denied the accusations and is yet to present to court his side of the argument through his defence lawyers who have complained of not being allowed ample time to stay with their clients to enable get more information.
(ST)